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Inhibitory activities of microalgal extracts against Epstein-Barr virus DNA release from lymphoblastoid cells

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Abstract

This study aimed to assess the inhibitory activities of methanol extracts from the microalgae Ankistrodesmus convolutus, Synechococcus elongatus, and Spirulina platensis against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in three Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL) cell lines, namely Akata, B95-8, and P3HR-1. The antiviral activity was assessed by quantifying the cell-free EBV DNA using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. The methanol extracts from Ankistrodesmus convolutus and Synechococcus elongatus displayed low cytotoxicity and potent effect in reducing cell-free EBV DNA (EC50<0.01 μg/ml) with a high therapeutic index (>28 000). After fractionation by column chromatography, the fraction from Synechococcus elongatus (SEF1) reduced the cell-free EBV DNA most effectively (EC50=2.9 μg/ml, therapeutic index>69). Upon further fractionation by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), the sub-fraction SEF1’a was most active in reducing the cell-free EBV DNA (EC50=1.38 μg/ml, therapeutic index>14.5). This study suggests that microalgae could be a potential source of antiviral compounds that can be used against EBV.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Human Biology, International Medical University, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Yih-Yih Kok, Wan-Loy Chu, Shar Mariam Mohamed, Shui-Nyuk Ling & Joon-Wah Mak

  2. Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, and Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES), University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Siew-Moi Phang

  3. Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Rakesh Naidu & Pey-Jiun Lai

  4. School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, 46150, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

    Rakesh Naidu

  5. Molecular Pathology Unit, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, 50588, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Patricia Kim-Chooi Lim, Pauline Balraj & Alan Soo-Beng Khoo

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  1. Yih-Yih Kok
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  2. Wan-Loy Chu
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Correspondence to Wan-Loy Chu.

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Project (IRPA: 06-05-01-0000-PR0054105-04) supported by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI) of Malaysia

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Kok, YY., Chu, WL., Phang, SM. et al. Inhibitory activities of microalgal extracts against Epstein-Barr virus DNA release from lymphoblastoid cells. J. Zhejiang Univ. Sci. B 12, 335–345 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B1000336

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B1000336

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